Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has officially been crowned the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year for the 2025/26 season.
The accolade marks an unprecedented fifth time the Portuguese playmaker has claimed the club’s prestigious, fan-voted individual honor.
​By securing this year’s trophy, Fernandes breaks his previous tie with club legends Cristiano Ronaldo and David de Gea who both earned the title four times to sit entirely alone at the pinnacle of Manchester United’s modern history.
Today’s announcement caps off a remarkable week of individual recognition for the 31-year-old midfielder.
Just hours before the club confirmed his Sir Matt Busby triumph, Fernandes was also named the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year.
He became the first Manchester United player to claim that specific media honor since Wayne Rooney in 2010.
Fernandes’ stellar campaign has been the foundational engine behind Manchester United’s resurgent form under manager Michael Carrick.
The skipper has been instrumental in guiding the Red Devils through a highly successful run, winning 10 of their last 15 fixtures to comfortably secure a return to the UEFA Champions League for next season.
​Throughout the 2025/26 campaign, Fernandes has married tireless work ethic with lethal creativity. While netting 8 goals across all competitions, it is his masterclass in playmaking that has dominated the headlines.
He has racked up an astonishing 20 assists overall, with 19 of those coming directly in the Premier League.
With two domestic league fixtures still remaining on the schedule, Fernandes is now on the absolute precipice of matching or breaking the all-time Premier League single-season assist record of 20.
​Fernandes first claimed the Sir Matt Busby trophy in 2020 immediately after his transformative winter arrival from Sporting CP.
He went on to retain it in 2021, before securing further back-to-back wins in 2024 and 2025 after a good run despite the team struggles.
​This fifth triumph not only underlines his peerless consistency but also highlights his irreplaceable leadership on the pitch.
While the captain has publicly reiterated that collective trophies remain his ultimate ambition at Old Trafford, today’s historic milestone firmly cements his legacy as one of the greatest and most influential modern icons to ever wear the iconic red shirt.
